hi there, I had my first daughter through vaginal delivery. Her head kept getting stuck behind my pubic bone but she ultimately got out with a giant bump on her head. She was only 7lbs and 11oz.

Baby # 2 looked be large on ultrasound. I know, I know, I know...not a great indicator. I felt a little scared/pressured into going with a c-section due to size. She was a somewhat large baby (8lbs 13 oz), but her head was much smaller than her sisters and I think I could have gotten her out on my head.

I hated, hated, hated the C-section recovery. I actually hated the C-section in itself. The whole thing felt extremely out of my hands and actually scared me more than the tense labor I went through wtih daughter # 1.

So I am pregnant again and I know my doctor has done VBACs, but I'm not sure I'd say he's a proponent.

Now, I don't mean to start any fires, but I'm actually a little scared about the risks/dangers of VBAC. I would love to have a vaginal birth again, but more than anything, I want to have my babies and be here to enjoy them.

Www.vbacfacts.com is a good resource. Keep in mind that there are risks either way, and some of them can effect your child for the rest of their lives, like the beneficial vaginal flora that baby gets from a vaginal birth vs. csection. Studies have shown that babies born by csection have a higher likelihood of digestive disorders like celiacs and UC.
The absolute risk of uterine rupture is rather low, around 1%. If I were attempting a vbac I would fluke all healthy birth practices including letting labor start on it's own and avoiding am epidural in favor of freedom of movement.

I had a VBAC in March. I honestly wasn't concerned about the risk of uterine rupture. For a mother with a single previous c-section, it's 0.5% or less, I believe. And if you do rupture, in most cases, it leads to an emergency c-section, but mother and baby are usually fine. The way I thought of it was that if I had a repeat c-section, I had a 100% chance of surgery, but if I went for the VBAC, I had only a 20-40% chance of surgery. And in your case you've had a successful vaginal birth so I think your chances are on the higher end.

I felt like my c-section wasn't really necessary and had a lot of regret about it. At first I thought my OB was supportive of me having a VBAC (she was the one who originally suggested it), but at the end of my pregnancy she snapped, "We're doing a c-section, RIGHT?" when my pelvis hadn't opened up at 36 weeks. I switched to a pro-VBAC midwife/OB practice and, well, my pelvis did just fine. It was super stressful at the time when I had to work out all the details to switch, but I'm so glad I did.

Thanks so much. I really like your reasoning, but some of the failed VBAC stories sound so stressful. Having to put out immediately. Just scary. I'm going to have to good talk with my doctor when this pregnancy is more confirmed. I miscarry A LOT so I have to wait a bit more.